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Consumers
Union Public Policy Resources
Regarding Sports Supplements In California And Texas
Audio from the Press Conference
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Press
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CONSUMER
REPORTS ADVISES: AVOID SPORTS SUPPLEMENTS -- EVIDENCE
FOR EFFECTIVENESS IS SKETCHY; SAFETY CONCERNS ARE MANY
Focus instead on fitness and nutrition basics; Parents should be aware
of teen use
YONKERS, NY - In its June
report on sports-supplement dangers, Consumer Reports® (CR)
magazine warns that some of these products, which supposedly increase muscle
or energy, could cause serious harm, and notes that teenagers are especially
vulnerable. People who take these products are actually conducting what amounts
to a vast, uncontrolled clinical experiment on themselves with untested, largely
unregulated medications.
The few good scientific studies available on these "dietary" supplements
suggest that they either are ineffective or, at best, produce only slight
changes in performance. More disturbing, they can contain powerful and potentially
harmful substances, such as androstenedione, creatine, and ephedra. Little
is known about the long-term safety of these products in adults, and even
less about their effect on youngsters.
Compounding the problem, the names of many products often provide no tip-off
about their ingredients. And any dietary supplement can be marketed without
advance testing under current federal law. The only restriction is that the
label can't claim the product will treat, prevent, or cure a disease. Industry
sources estimate that 4 percent of American adults have taken a sports supplement
at least once, including 1.2 million who use the products regularly. Polls
show adolescents are using sports supplements at least as enthusiastically
as adults. The public has easy access to these products, sold in mass merchandise
stores, by trainers, and through direct marketing and the Internet.
CR points out some of the dangers and uncertainties surrounding these products,
and reports on what medical research has shown, including:
Ephedra: This herbal supplement may be the most hazardous of the major
sports supplements. It acts like an amphetamine. It contains several stimulants,
including ephedrine and pseudoephedrine. Almost all these supplements combine
ephedra with at least one other stimulant, usually caffeine. Nearly two decades
ago the FDA found the combination of ephedrine and caffeine so dangerous that
it banned it from over-the-counter drugs. A recent study, partly funded by
the FDA, of 140 "adverse event" reports the agency had received
on ephedra products concluded that 87 of the events were "definitely,"
"probably," or "possibly" caused by the ephedra. Nearly
half of those cases involved cardiovascular symptoms such as sudden
high blood pressure or a racing heartbeat. There were 17 strokes and seizures,
13 cases of permanent impairment, and 10 deaths, including a 15-year-old girl.
For the past four years, the FDA has been trying to exert its limited authority
under the 1994 law to limit the maximum doses in ephedra supplements to 24
milligrams a day. The industry has vigorously disputed the idea that ephedra
is unsafe and has proposed an alternative maximum of 100 milligrams a day,
with a label saying "not for use by anyone under the age of 18."
Androstenedione: To sports aficionados, "andro" is the Mark
McGwire drug. But andro flunked the two most rigorous studies of its efficacy.
In both studies, men who didn't take andro gained just as much muscle and
strength as those who took the supplement. The andro also produced unwelcome
changes in blood-cholesterol levels. But perhaps the most disconcerting result
of both studies was a marked increase in levels of the female hormone estrogen.
Among the possible results for males using andro: feminization, premature
puberty, male-pattern baldness, and premature growth cessation.
Creatine: Of the sports supplements, creatine is the only one that
careful, published research has shown to improve performance of certain athletic
tasks. A few well-designed studies have found that creatine enhances performance
requiring brief, intense bursts of strength. But it doesn't improve endurance.
There has been no systematic study of creatine's side effects, but there have
been case reports in the medical literature of muscle cramping and the exacerbation
of existing kidney problems.
Recommendations: Weekend warriors, young athletes, and people who want
to lose weight or gain energy should not take sports supplements. Evidence
for the products' effectiveness is sketchy at best, and concerns about their
safety are too numerous. Adults and youngsters alike should focus instead
on the basics of fitness and nutrition. Parents who are concerned that their
children may be taking any of these supplements should familiarize themselves
with some of the most common brand names and ingredients. Consumers Union,
the publisher of CR, urges the FDA to continue pursuing stringent nationwide
restrictions on the use of ephedra. At least ten states and several local
governments have imposed various limitations, such as requiring a prescription,
outlawing sales to minors, or limiting the maximum dose. Consumers Union has
testified in favor of several state or local laws restricting ephedra sales.
States and municipalities that have not moved to control ephedra should consider
doing so.
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This report
is posted in the free "Highlights" section at www.ConsumerReports.org.
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